3 Natural Remedies To Kill Cockroaches At Home

Cockroaches are one of the common household pests found all over the world, they feed on food remains and can cause bad odor. It is not only the foul smell that is bad about cockroaches, they transport microbes and can cause severe allergies. Especially, people with asthma should be careful of cockroaches as they trigger allergic reactions in most asthma patients.

Cockroaches can become a huge problem because of two reasons, one they multiply so fast and second they can last so many days without food. Also many of you may not be aware that if cockroaches multiply too much, there is a risk of cockroach bite too. When I was in hostel, my friend was bitten by a cockroach and she developed serious allergies. I wanted to share 3 effective natural home remedies to get rid of them.

What Attracts Cockroach?

Kitchen is the most common place that cockroaches are usually found. Traditionally in India, we had open shelves in the kitchen in the past which is fast being replaced with closed shelves now. Closed shelves are not a problem if you wipe the vessels and place them inside.

But if you keep wet vessels inside the shelves, there are great chances for cockroach infestation as cockroaches love damp and dark places. Once cockroaches are inside closed shelves, it starts smelling real bad. Also cockroaches are very very good at hiding so it is hard to find them to kill.

Apart from closed shelves, leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight, not removing garbage especially kitchen waste everyday, not cleaning spilled food crumbs on the floor, left over food left on the counter that is not covered properly and excessive dampness can all attract cockroaches.

Cockroach Prevention Tips:

• If you have closed kitchen cabinets, always dry the vessels before storing.
• Fix any leaks in the bathroom and kitchen as cockroaches love damp places.
• Don’t leave food crumbs lying around as they attract cockroaches. Make sure to clean every nook and corner.
• If you have unused cupboards that remain closed for a long time, it becomes one of the best places for cockroaches to hide. Make sure to open and clean them at least once in a week.
• If there are any cracks, seal them as cockroaches tend to hide in them.

3 Natural Home Remedies For Getting Rid Of Cockroach:

I would suggest not using cockroach sprays available in the markets as no matter how careful you are, some will be sprayed on the vessels too. Instead try the cockroach repellent spray given below, it is a safe way to get rid of cockroaches. I love the spray as it drives them away and not kill them which I prefer :).

If you don’t have kids around the house, you can try the cockroach repellent balls. Cockroaches get attracted to the sugar in it and when they eat them, they die. But I would suggest not using it if you have young kids around as it has borax which is not safe for internal consumption.

The next remedy is diatomaceous earth, when sprinkled on the surface where cockroaches are commonly found, it sticks to their feet, enters their body and kills them. Once there is cockroach infestation, try any of these remedies to get rid of them and then you can wash or wipe down the whole place with neem water (neem leaves boiled in water) and let it dry completely before using again.

1. Cockroach Repellent Balls Recipe:

BORAX: 2 TSP
SUGAR: 1 TSP
FLOUR: 1 TSP

METHOD:
Take borax, flour and sugar in a bowl. Add enough water to form a thick mixture. Now make small balls out of it and keep it in places where cockroaches are usually found in kitchens and apartments. Borax kills cockroaches and flour and sugar in the recipe attracts them. This is a safe method but if you have kids or pets at home, try the second remedy as it is toxic if borax is consumed internally.

2. Cockroach Repellent Spray Recipe:

WATER: 1.5 CUPS
NEEM LEAVES: 1 HANDFUL
SWEET FLAG ROOT: 2 INCH PIECE

METHOD:
Take sweet flag root and pound it to break into small pieces. Add neem leaves and pound to crush the leaves too. Now take the crushed herbs along with water and boil for till the water is reduced to 1 cup. Switch off, cool, strain and take in a spray bottle. Use this cockroach repellent spray in places where cockroaches are normally found. They really do repel cockroaches effectively. If you don’t want to kill cockroaches and just want to repel them, then this is the best method.

3. Diatomaceous Powder:

Sprinkle diatomaceous powder on the places where cockroaches are commonly found. If you are wondering what is diatomaceous powder, it is a fine powder got from crumbling a type of natural rock that contains fossil remains of an algae called diatoms.

This is a very very safe way to kill cockroaches at home because it is very very safe for humans and pets. Diatomaceous powder does not have any chemical that magically kills cockroaches but the particles are small and sharp and when cockroaches walk on them, it sticks to their bodies.

Then it cuts into the exoskeleton and absorbs the water and cockroaches die of dehydration. You can order diatomaceous earth online and when buying look out for food grade quality.